Dual-mount furnace humidifier



April 8, 1969 R. w. ABBOTT ETAL DUAL-MOUNT FURNACE HUMIDIFIER 7 Filed Sept. 14. 1967 Sheet of 2 INVENTORS RoY w. ABBOTT EDONALD M. MULLlNGS T HE\R. ATTORNEY April 8, 1969 R. w. ABBOTT ETAL 3,4 7,318

DUAL-MOUNT FURNACE HUMIDIFIER Sheet 3 of2 iileci Sept. 14, 1967 F'lG.3

INVENTORS W W L N Tm m fmw mm D R m m W T RD.

United States Patent 3,437,318 DUAL-MOUNT FURNACE HUMIDIFIER Roy W. Abbott, Jeflersontown, Ky., and Donald M. Mullings, Yardley, Pa., assignors to General Electric Company, a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 667,831 Int. Cl. F24f 3/14 US. Cl. 261--24 8 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE wall panels for dividing the housing into an evaporating chamber and a fan chamber. An evaporating element is positioned in the evaporating chamber across the face of the orifice plate, while a motor driven fan is located in the fan chamber. Accordingly the evaporating element is arranged perpendicular to both mounting faces of the humidifier housing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There are many annoying effects resulting from heating rooms with forced warm air that has not been humidified. For example, dry heated air recirculating through the furnace system absorbs moisture from the human body causing the body to feel cool and chilly even through the temperature is relatively high. Since dry air requires higher temperatures for comfort than does humidified air, there is also a substantial increase in expenditures for fuel required to heat comfortably with non-humidified air. Moreover, dry room climate may result in discomfort in the nose and throat areas of the occupants as well as restricted breathing passages and chronic coughing conditions,

These deleterious effects are substantially avoided by installing a humidifier in the furnace plenum or warm air distribution duct of the heating system. The humidifier must be located on the supply or warm air side of the furnace and it must be furnished with a power cable, water supply line and a water drain line. The main elements of a furnace humidifier are an evaporating element and a motor driven fan and means for wetting the element so that the warm air is caused to pass through the element and pick up a percentage of the moisture from the element before the warm air proceeds through the distribution duct. The fan motor is customarily wired from a source of electrical power in a manner to operate only when the furnace blower is operating. In addition, a humidistat is furnished with the humidifier and it controls a solenoid water valve that governs the amount of water furnished to the evaporating element. The humidistat would be connected in series with the fan motor and solenoid valve. Hence, if the humidity is high in the cool air return duct of the furnace system, the humidistat will open the circuit to the solenoid valve and fan motor even though the furnace blower may be running. A slight amount of excess water is allowed to drain from the evaporating element and accumulate in a sump in the bottom of the humidifier housing, and this overflow is removed through a drain connection leading from the sump.

Hardships may be experienced during the installation of furnace humidifiers due to cramped working conditions 3,43 7,318 Patented Apr. 8, 1969 in certain furnace areas which make it difiicult to design a universal type of furnace humidifier for the myriad sets of conditions that are present in homes throughout the country. Sometimes the humidifier can only be mounted to the vertical face of the furnace plenum, and other times the humidifier must be mounted to the underside of a horizontal warm air distribution duct.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a furnace humidifier that is adapted to be mounted either to a vertical side or a horizontal underside of a warm air distribution duct.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a furnace humidifier of the class described with an evaporating element that is arranged generally perpendicular to the mounting wall of the humidifier housing.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a furnace humidifier that is divided into an evaporating chamber and a fan chamber, where the evaporating chamber is provided with an angular service cover in one correr therefor for facilitating the ease of removing and rereplacing the evaporating element.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a furnace humidifier of the class described with a motor compartment that is extended down to the bottom Wall of the humidifier housing for improving the air flow characteristics of the fan.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a furnace humidifier of the class described with a motor compartment of a size to mount control components therein.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention, in accordance with one form thereof, relates to a furnace humidifier that has walls forming a box-like housing. One side wall includes an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening separated by a vertical wall panel. A top wall of the housing also has an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening separated by a central wall panel. A- cover means is provided for the openings in one wall of the housing for closing the openings in either the side wall or the top wall so that the wall with the remaining air openings may serve as a mounting wall for the humidifier. An orifice plate is arranged perpendicular to the central wall panels to separate the housing into an evaporating chamber and a fan chamber. Other improvements include an angular cover plate for the walls of the evaporating compartment, and a cover for the fan motor that is extended down to the bottom wall of the housing for improving the air flow characteristics of the fan compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Our invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

FIGURE 1 is an exploded perspective view of a furnace humidifier housing with both the top cover and the angular cover plate removed, and also shown minus the evaporating element and the fan for the sake of simplicity.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view the complete furnace humidifier of FIGURE 1 shown mounted to the underside of a warm air distribution duct with parts broken way and others in cross-section to show the nature and relationship of the various elements.

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the furnace humidifier embodying the present invention shown mounted to the vertical side of a furnace plenum or warm air distribution duct with a portion of the top cover broken away and other elements in cross-section to show the interior construction of the humidifier.

FIGURE 4 is a right side elevational View of the 3 humidifier of FIGURE 3, again showing the method of mounting the humidifier to the vertical wall of the duct.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Turning now to a consideration of the drawings and in particular to FIGURE 1, there is shown a furnace humidifier having walls forming a box-like housing 11 which in the preferred embodiment is formed of molded plastic material such as a glass filled polyester material. This housing has a bottom wall 12, and a series of vertical side walls 13, 14, 15 and 16, as well as a top wall 17. One of the side walls, side wall 14, has an air inlet opening 19 and an air outlet opening 20. These air openings 19 and 20 are of rather large size, which when subtracted from the area of the side wall 14 leaves a substantially central, vertical panel 22.

Now turning to a study of top wall 17, it also has an air inlet opening 19 and an air outlet opening 20' which are similar in size and shape to the same openings 19 and 20 in the side wall 14. By the same token, the top wall 17 also includes a substantially central panel 22 corresponding in nature to the central, vertical panel 22 of the side wall 14. Hence, the side wall 14 and the top wall 17 are alternate mounting faces for the humidifier housing 11. A removable cover plate 24 is adapted to fit over either the top wall 17 or the side wall 14 so as to close the openings in either wall so that only the openings in the alternate wall are open for purposes of mounting the humidifier to either a vertical face or the underside of a warm air distribution duct. This cover plate 24 includes a series of fastening means 25 in each of the four corners of the plate which comprise a screw member extending therethrough with a blade (not shown) fixed to the inner end thereof so that the turning action of the screw will cause the blade to slip under the edge of one of the openings 19, 20 or 19', 20 in the two walls of the housing, and be held in place. Hence, turning through an angle of about 45 will bring the blade into or out of fastening position.

Positioned within the humidifier housing 11 is a vertical orifice plate 28 which is arranged generally perpendicular to the wall panels 22 and 22' of the side wall 14 and the top wall 17 respectively as is seen in FIGURE 1. This orifice plate has a large central opening 29 that is adapted to receive a fan 30 therein, as is best seen in FIGURE 2. This orifice plate 28 separates the housing 11 into an evaporating chamber 32 and a fan chamber 33. The evaporating chamber 32 includes the air inlet openings 19 and 19', while the fan chamber 33 includes the air outlet openings 20 and 20' as is clear from FIG- URE 1.

Located within the evaporating chamber 32 is an evaporating element 35 which is positioned across the face of the orifice plate 28 and held in position by retaining flanges 37, 38 rising from the bottom wall 12 of the housing as seen in FIGURE 1, and flanges 37 and 38 hanging from the roof of the top wall 17, as is best seen in FIG- URE 2. Such an evaporating element 35 includes a main evaporating pad 36 of cross-corrugated folded metal or other non-organic strips to provide a large quantity of wetted surface area. Such an evaporating pad 36 of folded strips is held together by a metal frame 40 which is wrapped and held around the marginal edges of the pad. The top edge of the metal frame 40 is provided with a V-shaped water trough 41 for receiving and distributing water along the length thereof. Suitable holes 43 are formed in the two sides of the trough as is best seen in the plan view of FIGURE 3 so that the water may drain onto the evaporating pad 36. It is important to provide a wicking material 45 against the underside of the trough 41 in contact with the holes 43 in order to break the surface tension of the water. This wicking material serves as a spreader to induce water flow across the entire top edge of the evaporating element 36 so that the water trickles down the pad and forms hundreds of small pools of water therein. The lower edge of the frame 40 of the evaporating pad 35 is provided with suitable openings so that the water may spill onto the floor of the evaporating chamber 32 and be drained therefrom by a drain line (not shown).

Turning now to a consideration of the fan chamber 33, it is provided with a drive motor 47 having a shaft 48 supporting the fan 30 in the central hole 29 of the orifice plate 28. Because of the moisture laden air that circulates through the fan chamber 33, the drive motor 47 is protected from the moisture by a motor cover 50 that surrounds the motor and is joined with the side wall 15 of the humidifier housing. This cover 50 forms a compartment for the motor, and the cover is extended down to join with the bottom wall 12 of the housing. This cover 50 thus has a semi-circular top wall 51, two opposed side walls 52 and a front wall 53 closely spaced from the blades of the fan 30 as is best seen in FIGURE 2. Actually, the drive motor 47 is mounted to the front wall 53 of the motor cover 50 as by means of mounting bolts 55. The side wall 15 of the humidifier housing has a portion removed for gaining access to the interior of the motor compartment of cover 50. This opening is adapted to be closed by a removable cover plate 57 as is seen in FIGURE 3. About the bottom half of the motor compartment 50 is available for storage purposes, and it is provided with a solenoid operated water valve 60 shown in dotted line in FIGURE 2. A feed water line 61 extends from the valve out a suitable opening in the motor cover in a generally vertical direction, and the line has a horizontal bend 62 which terminates at 64 generally over the water trough 41 in the evaporating element 35 as is best seen in FIGURE 2. A small deflecting flange 66 is positioned closely adjacent the discharge end 64 of the water tube to deflect the water down into the trough 41. The motor compartment also includes provision for receiving the necessary electrical power and control cables for energizing and controlling both the drive motor 47 and the solenoid water valve 60.

Although it is quite convenient to have space available within the motor compartment for storing the solenoid operated water valve and other necessary components, the principal purpose for having the lower extension of the motor cover 50 is to provide a better air flow characteristic within the fan chamber 33. This improved air flow characteristic increases the amount of air flow apparently due to the tendency for the lower extension of the motor cover 50 to act as a scroll cut-off in the same manner that a cut-off operates in a conventional Sirocco blower housing to divert the fiow from within the housing through the air outlet rather than having the air tending to recirculate in the fan chamber 33. This improved air fiow is primarily noticeable when the side wall 14 of the housing 11 is connected to a vertical wall as seen in FIGURE 3, although there is also a noticeable improvement when the humidifier housing is top mounted. Thus, the storage area in the motor cover extension beneath the drive motor 47 is merely a bonus obtained in using this improved air flow design. In this arrangement, it is necessary that the fan 30 revolve in a counter clockwise direction as viewed from the evaporating chamber 32, as quite different results would be obtained if the rotation were in the opposite direction.

For eflicient humidifier operation, the evaporating element 35 should be replaced at least once a year. If the water supply contains an abnormally high mineral content, it may be necessary to replace the evaporating element more frequently. Thus it is necessary to provide easy access to the evaporating element, and this is best performed by an angular cover plate 70 which is adapted to fit over a corner opening 71 that is located partially in side wall 13 and partially in side wall 16 as is best seen in FIGURE 1. With the angular cover plate 70 removed it is possible to grasp the evaporating element 35 and angle it out through the corner opening 71 in the housing depending on whether there is an obstruction nearest the side wall 13 or the side wall 16. Thus this gives the user greater choice of possibilities of removing the evaporating pad depending upon the crowded working conditions surrounding the humidifier housing 11. Simple slide fasteners 73 are formed in the two opposite side edges of the angular cover plate 70 and these may be slid to and fro engaging connection with the adjacent edge of the corner opening 71 as is best seen in the plan view of FIGURE 3.

There is a certain amount of vertical clearance between the supporting flanges 37, 38 and 37, 38' and the evaporating element 35 so that the evaporating element is interposed therebetween by first raising the element between the flanges 37 and 38 and lifting the element over the flange 37, and then allowing the element to drop into position between the various cooperating flanges.

A special mounting frame 75 for the humidifier is fastened to the supporting structure whether it be a furnace plenum 76 as in the case of a vertical mount or a warm air distribution duct 77 as in the case of mounting the humidifier to the underside of the duct.

What we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A furnace humidifier having walls forming a com pact box-like housing that is adapted to be mounted either to the vertical side or the horizontal underside of a. warm air distribution duct, said housing having a bottom wall, vertical side walls and a horizontal top wall, one of the side walls having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, said openings being separated by a substantially central panel of said one side wall, an orifice plate arranged generally perpendicular to said central panel and separating the housing into an evaporating chamber and a fan chamber, an evaporating element positioned in the evaporating chamber across the face of the orifice plate, a fan located in the fan chamber and comprising a drive motor with .an air moving device co operating with the said orifice plate for drawing air into the air inlet opening, through the evaporating element and orifice plate and discharging the air from the air outlet opening, and water supply means for wetting the evaporating element.

2. A furnace humidifier as recited in claim 1 where the top wall of the housing has a set of air inlet and outlet openings similar to the openings in the said one side wall, and a cover means for sealing the openings in one wall of the housing while the housing is supported from the wall of the housing with theother set of air openings.

3. A furnace humidifier as recited in claim 2 wherein the fan chamber includes a cover for the fan drive motor, which cover is extended beneath the motor to the housing bottom wall to act as a scroll cutoff to divert the air flow in the fan chamber through the air outlet opening, the rotation of the air moving device being in a counter clockwise direction when viewed from the evaporating chamber, the motor cover extension also serving as a wiring and apparatus compartment.

4. A dual-mount furnace humidifier having walls forming a box-like housing that is adapted to be mounted either to a vertical side or a horizontal underside of a,

warm air distribution duct, said housing having a bottom wall, vertical side walls and a top wall, one of the side Walls having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, said openings being separated by a central wall panel, a vertical orifice plate arranged generally perpendicular to the said central wall panel and dividing the housing into an evaporating chamber and a fan chamber, an evaporating element positioned in the evaporating chamber across the face of the orifice plate, a drive motor and fan located in the fan chamber with the fan centered Within the orifice plate and in close proximity to the evaporating element, and water supply means for wetting the evaporating element, the top wall of the housing also having an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, and a removable cover means for closing the openings in either the side wall or the top wall of the housing so that the wall with the remaining openings may serve as the mounting wall for the humidifier.

5. A dual-mount furnace humidifier as recited in claim 4 wherein the housing walls forming the evaporating chamber have a removable angular cover plate at one corner thereof remote from the side Wall with the air openings therein for facilitating the removal and replacement of the evaporating element, and adjustable fastening means for holding the angular cover plate in place.

6. A dual-mount furnace humidifier as recited in claim 4 wherein the fan chamber includes a cover for the fan drive motor, said cover being extended down beneath the motor to the housing bottom wall to improve the air flow characteristics of the fan chamber when the fan rotates in a counter clockwise direction when viewed from the evaporating chamber.

7. A dual-mount furnace humidifier as recited in claim 4 wherein the fan chamber is reduced in volume by a motor compartment that encloses the fan drive motor and extends down from the motor to the housing bottom wall to improve the air flow characteristics of the fan chamber when the fan rotates in a counter clockwise direction when viewed from the evaporating chamber with the side wall openings at the left side thereof.

8. A dual-mount furnace humidifier as recited in claim 7 wherein the side wall nearest the motor compartment includes a removable cover plate for gaining access to the motor compartment, and an electroresponsive water valve positioned within the motor compartment beneath the drive motor for controlling the said water supply means for the evaporating element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,045,450 7/1962 Chandler 26199 3,171,401 3/1965 McDuffee 26197 X 3,193,259 7/1965 Liebmann. 3,318,587 5/1967 McDuiTee 261105 X HARRY. B. THORNTON, Primary Examiner. S. H. MARKOWITZ, Assistant Examiner.

U15. Cl. X.R. 

